11585
19th Century cased pair of duelling pistols of Belgian (Liege) manufacture. A stamp appears on the muzzle of the pistols; it shows the letters ELG within an oval, without a crown, with a small star beneath the letters. This is the standard proof mark of the Banc d’Epreuves des Armes a Feu de Liege — an official body, first established under French Law in the Napoleonic Era, that continued to function after Belgian independence. The absence of a crown above the oval indicates that the pistols are pre-1893: they likely date from 1830-1850. The original black case is lined with green baize and contains most of the original accoutrements. The inside of the top of the case appears to have been lined with scrap paper in the form of sections of a household inventory. It was not uncommon for individual gunmakers to use scrap textiles in this manner, or the paper could have been put into the box by an owner of the guns. The scallop-form butt cap was a popular decorative motif in the 1820s-1850s on higher-grade pistols, often in silver or, as here, engraved on steel. This type of work is associated with a quality gunmaker rather than mass trade production. The absence of any other apparent stamps, like a maker’s mark, seems unusual. It could be visible inside the lock plate (which can only be seen if the lock is removed), or it may be what is called a fine ‘blank’ or export pistol, made in Liege for a retailer in England or elsewhere who would then apply their own retail marks. Nevertheless, the Liege proof mark is clear.
Price on request
